Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on the opposition party to suspend its constitution to effect the removal of Iyorcha Ayu as its national chairman.
The former PDP deputy chairman spoke in a chat with Arise News TV on Friday.
During the lead-up to its presidential primary, PDP threw the ticket open to members across all geopolitical zones in the country despite calls that the party’s rotation policy states that the position should go to the south.
Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s flagbearer for the 2023 presidential election and there have been efforts to remove Ayu as the chairman, to make way for a southerner to occupy the position.
The call for Ayu’s resignation is said to be because the national chairman and the presidential candidate are from the same region. Ayu is from Benue state in the north-central zone, while Abubakar is from Adamawa in the north-east.
On Wednesday, Abubakar addressed the concern and said the only way Ayu can be removed as chairman is when the PDP constitution is amended.
He added that such a decision cannot be taken without considering the legal implications.
The stance of the presidential candidate has stirred responses from several party stakeholders.
Adding his voice to the reactions, George said Abubakar should not only yield to the party’s constitution when it suits him.
He said “what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” adding that the constitution should be flexible as it was during the presidential primaries.
“Our party constitution explicitly states that there would be zoning and rotation of elective offices and party offices. If we had stuck rigidly to that, there was no chance for Atiku to have emerged,” the PDP chieftain said.
“When it suits you can refer to the constitution and when it does not then you back away from the constitution.
“If we can call off zoning and accept the presidential candidate to come from any zone which is against our constitution, so what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Allow us for this period.”
